Thoughts on creativity, Pharma and whatnot
For those of you who've sat on the PM society jury in the past you'll recall a big drafty room at the BMA in Russell Square and two days out of the office, walking round a room peering at rounds and rounds of cardboard. This year, like many awards shows, most of the judging took... Continue Reading →
Over the last few months we've heard a lot of exciting news about agencies and clients reinventing the 'advertising agency model'. Not the whole agency, obviously, just the interesting part with all the tattooed beardy men and purple haired women. Because you see, Creative departments simply weren't working before. What? you hadn't noticed? That's why... Continue Reading →
What you can guarantee is that everyone has an opinion about the Lions awards, but what nobody can say about this year's batch is that it doesn't represent what we do every day. It's just that maybe we don't all do award winning work every day. Most of us strive and get really really close,... Continue Reading →
Of course most people like their own ideas, sometimes none more so than creative people themselves. I'm sure the person who came up with the term ideation was delighted with it. But what a lot of people, and by that I mean the idea-toting non-creative wing of adland, may struggle with (only because it takes... Continue Reading →
Think about it. They call it the greatest story ever told. Actually it's the greatest healthcare ad campaign that ever ran. It's text book marketing. Firstly, you have a blockbuster product that can solve all ills. Then you have 12 KOLs ready to advocate. You have a wonderfully written idetail, (previously in hard back.) You... Continue Reading →
When I started out, after a period traveling around the USA with a backpack, I decided to give this lark a proper go. I found myself a writer out of Watford Copywriting school to partner with (I was very much an art director then) and Rob and I started to get a book together. We... Continue Reading →
Back in May I received one of those emails you cannot ignore. "Dear Olly, we would like you to be a judge in the inaugural Health and Wellness category at the LIA (London International) awards in Las Vegas in October." Hotels and flights paid for. Hmm, let me think for a moment. To be honest,... Continue Reading →
It's been an interesting year for judging awards shows, from my perspective. Two down, one to go. Last November I joined a small band of creatives and clients in judging the PM Society awards. As you may know, these awards guarantee a winner in all categories. Some people find that against the principle of an... Continue Reading →
So the week is over, and Lions Health is a distant Rose-tinted memory. It's been a weird period with the new CEO of Publicis, Arthur Sadoun, risking pissing off his entire creative workforce by pulling out from entering Cannes 2018 or indeed any awards, in order to spend money on an internal collaboration tool called... Continue Reading →
There will be many observations made about this election in June 2017, but here's mine. There's a very simple set of principles in advertising. Over the years, if you watch closely, you can see them played out in various campaigns to great effect. You can also see when those principles are ignored and disasters ensue.... Continue Reading →
